Man may be known to use horses for racing since this specie was first domesticated. Historical evidences uncover that as early as 4500 BC, the nomadic people of Central Asia has already developed techniques of horse racing. In fact, the Greeks are known to have incorporated horse racing in the Olympics since 638 BC.
Both the chariot horse racing and the mounted horse racing were well-liked during these ages. These types of later on grew to become an obsession among Romans once they have adopted the activity.
For thousand of years that followed, this kind of sports was considered to be performed only for the noble men and royalties.
Contemporary racing is said to have started in the 12th century when the first reproduction between Arabian as well as English horses were made. These were sparred by the return of the noble knights to the mother land after the Crusades. They are known to possess produced sturdy horses with superb speed. Thus, breeders maximized the potentiality of a racehorse and put them into tracks. This breed is the Thoroughbred that we know of today which is still the most popular breed in the United Kingdom.
King Charles II had been known to have held horse races in his private courses throughout 1660 to 1685.
By the 16th century, the English had been known to produce a number of racecourses. Queen Anne that founded the Ascot in 1711 is known to have made horse racing an official sport.
Halfway in 1700�s, the Jockey Club was created through the initiation of the elite figures involved in horse racing. This organization was the first legion of jockeys that established the actual comprehensive rules and regulations including the standards as covered by the sports. Thus, these people became the overseers of the sports and sanctioned horse racing events.
The Jockey Club was also the initiator for the regulation of breeding among horses. Thus, James Weatherby, an accountant of the Jockey Club during those times, traced back the family lines of all racing breeds in England. His researches brought forth the book of the General Stud Book, that was basically, the basis of authority in terms of the breeds that may be put to race. According to the General Stud Book, only individuals pedigrees that have descended from the line of the “foundations sires” are considered as Thoroughbreds. The building blocks sires are the: Byerley Turk, Darley Arabian and Godolphin Arabian.
Only in 17th century did the sport arrive in America for which the very first racetrack was seen in the Long Island. While it has turned into a favorite past time among Americans, no one initiated the actual formalization of horse racing until after the Civil War. Due to the already-established obsession plus the industrial development, as well as widespread betting on horse races, the activity grew largely by the year 1890 when 314 operating tracks are considered to be on regular operation in the united kingdom.
Due to the lack of a governing body, this activity had become purely dominated by criminal elements. In 1894 though, the most prominent and high-ranking stable owners met and organized the American Jockey Club which was patterned on the system as used by the Jockey Club in England.
Nowadays the sport has reached various countries around the world. Governing bodies were also formed to regulate the horse racing events.
